New World Whispers (Marco the Phoenix x OC)

D. Day

Hello there~
This is my first story here. I would just like to begin with a few general disclaimers.

I do not own One Piece or any of the delightful pictures I'll be using. They all belong to their respectful owners, whose works I am appreciating.

This story is my reinvention of using the characters in a different world setting, and has spurred from my own imagination. I hope you all can enjoy it and give feedback after on whether to continue. :)

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In this world there is a lot of unexplained phenomena occurring on a daily basis. Many ordinary citizens are oblivious to it all, but to those individuals with sharper insight and spiritual awareness, it is quite hard to ignore what plays on around them. Nobody really likes talking about it too much, as it only seems to remind them of their own vulnerability and helplessness to it. But to us few 'lucky' individuals who can feel and see it all, it's too hard to ignore.

Ever since the veil between the two worlds merged over 50 years ago, this 'New World' has experienced a high influx of supernatural phenomena that has stirred the spiritual energy within humans. There are those with the ability to sense the other worldly creatures that seem to be co-inhabit this world with us.

From a young age I've always been aware. My mother, a spiritual woman, encouraged it and told me to embrace everything I sensed as a part of who I am. She and her friends that I spent my childhood modelling after, seemed to worship this New World and all of this rich spiritual energy that buzzed around. In awe and fascination, with my young eyes naturally adjusted to seeing the other worldly creatures, I would often find some odd creatures mixed in with their groups, watching in childish glee.

Not everyone with spiritual awareness can see these creatures. My mum could sometimes see only black figures, but she was capable of hearing them when they were up close and could clearly sense their presence. Many of her friends could simply sense their presence. As a child, they said I had it easier to keeping to my eyes open before they closed, which is what normally happens in a society that doesn't cherish this spiritual side.

My childhood helped my insight grow, but it made it also unsafe. Some of those creatures would taunt and follow me, giving me nightmares and making a fool of me in school. It wasn't hard for others to label me as a freak or insane. But I knew that not all creatures were bad, some were peaceful and buzzing with life just like they were ordinary folk. However, for my safety, I decided to play ignorant in public.

For years I had feigned ignorance, but as I graduated high school and started university and working a part time job, my interactions in different environments exposed me to more of these supernatural creatures. The strangest part was how these creatures, despite not being seen by your average people, could interact with our world and touch and use objects freely. This made me wonder if that meant I could also touch them.

I received my answer one day at work.

"Order for table 4!" The cook shouted from the window of his kitchen.

I perked up from cleaning a nearby table, quietly ushering guests to take a seat and handed them menus. On my way back to the kitchen it was rather hard trying to act normally, for one creature seemed to be standing in my direct path.

I wasn't really in the mood for this as it was rush hour and I had ran to work straight after an 8 hour day in classes. I certainly did not want to be bothered. Now some strange red skinned, human-looking hybrid was standing in my way with their back to me, looking at the meal placed at the window and reaching a hand out to take some for them self. I glared.

Before I could even think, I slapped the rubbery hand away. "Not for you!" I scolded without even thinking before I grabbed the dishes and quickly walked away.

I could feel those surprised eyes on me before a sheepish laughter echoed in my ears and panic finally settled in me.

I numbly placed the meals down before the customers and felt a cold chill run down my spine as I turned and came face-to-face with a large grin and closed eyes.

"Shi Shi Shi~ You can see me! That's great!" he laughed, causing me to jump.

The customers looked at me oddly and a coworker waiting on the table next to me asked if I was okay. I quickly straightened up and tried to look anywhere but at the grinning, red skinned, scar-faced, raven haired, human-looking creature that was hovering around me. I walked briskly past the creature and to the back office where we had our breaks and sat down on a chair, cradling my head in my hands.

"Idiot! You short tempered fool!" I scolded myself.

"Na, why are you ignoring me~?" The childish voice came from the office door.

I looked up and swallowed thickly. Well, there's no point trying to ignore him anymore. I did just hit his hand away and spoke to him.

I scanned over him as he stood in front of me, peering down at me curiously. He wore an opened red vest that exposed a nasty scar on his chest and dark blue shorts and sandals. Hanging on the back of his neck by two tied strings appeared to be a straw hat. On closer inspection I noticed pointy ears and a thin dark red tail with a pointed end that swished behind him absently.

"Are you a some form of a demon?" I finally spoke, no longer able to hide my curiosity.

He blinked two wide, deep black eyes at me before flashing another childish grin. I almost found it cute and infectious, but I quickly frowned instead.

"Yup! My name's Monkey D. Luffy and I'm gonna be king of the other world!" He chirped in a happy-go-lucky manner, as if his claim wasn't absurd whatsoever.

I could only blink at him before a million questions began forming in my mind. Now, this only fueled my curiosity about these creatures even more.

"Na, what's your name? Do you think I could have some food? I could smell the food in this restaurant from the other side of town and I'm starving! Can I have some meat?" He begged, drool forming at the end of his mouth where little sharpened teeth jutted out.

I kept on staring at him carefully. He seemed harmless, despite being some kind of demon. In my experience and from what mother and her friends have told me, demons are very powerful and are capable of many different powers that it's hard to tell what they will do. They're unpredictable and feed off of the energy of those around them. I was warned to be careful and to keep my shields up.

But this Luffy seemed like an adolescent, and I got no bad vibe from him. It kind of made me excited finally being able to communicate with an other worldly creature in public. Normally I just interacted with the little fairies in my garden, or the spirits who wonder in and out of my home.

A small smile formed on my lips as a sigh escaped me. I looked into those beady black eyes which blinked expectantly back at me.

"My name is Fade. I'm working at the moment, but I finish in about an hour. If you can wait that long, I can grab you a few dishes from the kitchen." At the happy look on his face, I couldn't help but chuckle. "But you have to be patient and not touch anyone else's food! Deal?" I bargained.

Without a seconds thought, he agreed with a closed-eye grin, "Okay!"

Another sigh escaped me, relieved. I tried to ignore the thoughts that pestered me about what this could possibly lead to and the dangers this might cause, instead trying to refocus my thoughts on finishing my shift. I had already left my coworkers alone without telling them where I was and one of them was bound to stumble in here soon. I dusted myself off and began walking away, just as Luffy's voice broke my train of thought.

"You're a nice human, Fade! I can't wait to tell my crew about this!" Another laugh escaped him, while my heart briefly stopped and went back to work in a cold sweat.

Ah, shit. I've really gone and done it now. My quiet sanctuary as living like a normal, ignorant person was truly done for now. Luffy definitely didn't seem like the one to keep his mouth shut, and being a demon, I bet he was mischievously planning something behind those deceptively innocent looking features.

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So, this is an introductory chapter until it begins to unfold. It will take a while to progress, but I have a few things planned for those who stick around. Thank you. :)